During the winter months, November 2017 to March 2018, lots of brave swimmers challenged themselves to swim regularly in Clevedon Marine Lake, incentivised by the Polar Bear Challenge. The challenge, which was organised by volunteers, required participants to swim a minimum of 100m twice a month. One way to rack up the required distance was a 100m circuit around the lake’s much-loved pontoon. Watch this wonderful bird’s eye view of the swimmers celebrating their achievements on 25th March 2018, when individual awards were given out at Clevedon Sailing Club. The challenge raised £500 to support Marlens, the charity behind the maintenance and development of Clevedon Marine Lake. Well done Clevedon Polar Bears for enjoying the cold water! And thank you Geoff Langan from Orbitance for the amazing view.

Polar bears are excellent swimmers; their scientific name, Ursus maritimus, means ‘sea bear’. They live in countries that ring the Arctic Circle, swimming in seas of -2oC.

All hail the early bathers
Swimwear on before the dawn
Then entering the water
As autumn day is born
Mirrored surface broken
As cross the lake they power
Immune they to the coldness
At this the waking hour
They say it’s warmer in there
Than standing on the brink
But some are made for swimming
While others merely sink.